NCJ Number
20669
Journal
DIFESA SOCIALE Volume: 3 Dated: (1976) Pages: 7-32
Date Published
1976
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE ANALYZES THE TREND OF CRIMINALITY IN ITALY OVER THE PERIOD 1950-1973 AND SUGGESTS POSSIBLE REMEDIAL ACTIONS.
Abstract
IN THE FIRST PART OF THE ARTICLE THE AUTHOR ANALYZES THE CHANGES IN TYPES AND DIMENSIONS OF CRIMINALITY IN ITALY OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS ON THE BASIS OF OFFICIAL CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE STATISTICS. THE CONCLUSIONS EMERGING FROM THE DATA--WHICH ALSO OFFER COMPARISON WITH OTHER WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES - ARE THEN CONTRASTED WITH INFORMATION DERIVED FROM OTHER SOURCES (E.G. THE PRESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA). THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT DURING THE PERIOD UNDER CONSIDERATION, CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY HAVE HAD AN APPROXIMATE 99% INCREASE AND DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES HAVE INCREASED CONSIDERABLY. WHILE CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON APPEAR TO HAVE DECREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 34%, VIOLENCE SEEMS TO BE INCREASINGLY ASSOCIATED WITH PROPERTY AND ORGANIZED CRIME CAUSING GENERAL PUBLIC ALARM. IN THE SECOND PART OF THE ARTICLE, THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS NEW MECHANISMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL DEALING WITH CONTROL TREATMENT (INCLUDING ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT), AND PREVENTION WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION. TABLES AND GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. --IN ITALIAN....TWH